Automobile bumper



Now/16, 1937. J. cALABRo AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Nov. 28, 1936 wa. We..mzw 72a e- Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements inautomobile bumpers and has for its primary object to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character embodying anovel construction, combination and arrangements of parts through themedium of which said bumper Will automatically yield and disengageitself should another vehicle be fOuled, as when backing into a parkingspace.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a bumper ofthe aforementioned character wherein the movable parts willautomatically return to normal position after they have disengagedthemselves from the object which has been fouled, such as the bumper ofanother vehicle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an automobile bumper ofthe Character described .which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use,compact, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at lowcost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein likecharacters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, and whereint- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bumperconstructed in accordance With the present inventionshowing the samemounted on the front of an automobile.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail view in Vertical section, taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it vvill be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pairof curved supporting members I of suitable spring metal which areattached by brackets 2 to the frame 3 of an automobile 4. The members Iinclude reversed inner end portions 5 to which the end portions of a bar6, also of suitable spring metal, are secured. On the other end portionsof the members I are substantially U-shaped guides 'I which are shown toadvantage in Figure 3 of the drawing.

'I'he reference numeral 8 designates end members which are hingedlyconnected at one end, as at 9, for swinging movement in a horizontalplane to the ends of the bar 6. The end members 8 comprise substantiallyreversed free end portions IO which are adapted to seat in the guides 1.The swinging end members 8 are also of suitable spring metal. Thereference numeral I I designates Springs which are rigidly secured atone end, as at I 2, to the end portions 5 of the members I. The SpringsII are secured at their other ends, as at I3, to the swinging endmembers 8.

It is thought that the operation of the in- 5 vention will be readilyapparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The springs II normallymaintain the end members 8 in the position shown in full lines in Figure1 of the drawing with the portions I El of said end members en- 10 gagedin the guides l. However, should the end portions of the bumper foulanother object, such as the bumper of another vehicle when backing intoa parking space, the end members 8 will swing against the tension oftheir respective 15 springs II in the manner suggested in broken linesin Figure 1 of the drawing until the object which has been fouled hasbeen cleared. When this has been done the springs I I immediately returnthe end members 8 to normal position. 20

It is believed that the many advantages of an automobile bumperconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be readilyunder- Stood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is asi11ustrated and described, it is 25 to be understood that changes in thedetails of construction and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to which Will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed ist- 30 1. An automobile bumper comprising a pair ofsupporting members, means for attaching said supporting members to anautomobile, a bar extending between said supporting members and securedthereto, substantially U-shaped guides on one end of the supportingmembers, end members hingedly connected, at one end, to the bar, theother ends of said end members being engageable in the guides, andSprings connected to said end 40 members for yieldingly urging the sameinto engagement with the guides.

2. An automobile bumper of the class described comprising a pair ofsupporting members including substantially reversed inner end portions,45 substantiallyl U-shaped guides on the outer ends of said supportingmembers, a bar extending between the reversed inner end portions of thesupporting members .and secured thereto, end members hingedly mounted onthe ends of said bar for swinging movement in a horizontal plane, saidend members comprising substantially reversed free end portionsengageable in the guides, and Springs mounted on the reversed inner endportions of the supporting members and con- 55 nected to said endmembers for yieldingly urging the same into engagement with the guides.

JOSEPH CALABRO.

